1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a rotary valve and more particularly to a rotary valve for distributing hot, cold or warm water to any one of several sanitary elements.
2. Prior Art
In a conventional bathroom or kitchen, separate taps and valves control the distributions of hot, cold and warm water to the individual water outlets. For example, the washbasin, shower, bathtub, and bidet in a bathroom each have their own tap.
Prior rotary valves are not suitable for distributing hot, cold or warm water to any one of several outlets.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,124,162 issued to Cameron on Mar. 10, 1964, U.S. Pat. No. 1,026,608, issued to W. Schorn on May 14, 1912, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,310,026, issued to Cohen on Jan. 12, 1982, disclose rotary disk valves provided with one inlet and multiple outlets which permit water or other liquids to be distributed to a number of locations, but none of the disclosed systems permit the mixing of two input liquids so as to alternatively allow hot, cold, or warm water to be distributed.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,161,191 issued to Ranger et al. on July 17, 1979 discloses a rotary disk valve device which may be rotated in order to continuously adjust the opening ratio between the various output openings which may be directed from a liquid faucet to auxiliary devices, but no provision is made for mixing two input liquids.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,330,008, issued to Skelly on May 18, 1982 discloses a valve having multiple stacked disk valves for adding and subtracting from a liquid rate therethrough. U.S. Pat. No. 4,286,624, issued to Clausen et al. on Sept. 1, 1981 also discloses stacked disk valves having cylindrical wall openings for distributing liquids from a plurality of sources to a plurality of engines. However, neither system provides for optional mixing of two input fluids before distributing them.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,581,878 issued to E. Pick on Jan. 8, 1952 discloses a multiple port disk valve which, however, does not provide for mixing of input liquids. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 2,765,810, issued to F. H. Bergquist on Oct. 9, 1956, discloses a gas valve for distributing gas to a double gas burner, which is not designed for mixing input fluids before distribution.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,538,787, issued to O. L. Fillmore on May 19, 1925, discloses a disk valve arrangement for a gasoline supply station, wherein gasoline and air may be provided through inlet ports in the valve. This valve cannot distribute either or both of two fluids to a plurality of output ports.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,040,777, issued to D. B. Carson et al. on June 26, 1962, discloses a rotary valve of the disk type which permits the interconnection of two independent sets of conduits such that each conduit of the first set comes into individual communication with every conduit of the second set according to a pre-determined sequence upon traversal of all adjusted positions of the valve. The valve does not provide for the selected mixture of the source fluids.